Self-cleaning backhoe bucket



. 17; 1970 wrR. LONG SEL'F-CLEANING-BACKHOE BUCKET I 1-3 Sheets-She 1 FiledDeG. 7, 1967 INVENTOR Mil/4M A. 10AM 1 at p j ATTORNEY ,Feb. 17, 1970 w. R; LONG 73,495,728

SELF-CLEANING BAGKHOE BUCKET Filed Dec. 7, 1967 3 sheets-sheet 2 Iln...

United States Patent 3,495,728 SELF-CLEANING BACKHOE BUCKET William R. Long, Tarboro, N.C., assignor to Long Manufacturing Company, Inc., Tarboro, N.C. Filed Dec. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 688,736 Int. Cl. E02f 3/75 US. Cl. 214-138 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-cleaning backhoe bucket adapted to be carried by an articulated boom mounted on a propelling vehicle and susceptible of use in excavating earth, and with mechanism for automatically cleaning or insuring the complete emptying of the bucket during use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a self-cleaning bucket adapted to be mounted on a propelling vehicle in a manner to be raised and lowered and swung from side to side for filling and discharging the same.

Description of the prior art SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is a self-cleaning backhoe bucket having a back plate for retaining matter in the bucket when in one position and for automatically emptying or discharging the contents of the bucket when the bucket is rotated from its filled to its emptying position. Means also is provided for latching the back plate in a definite position while the bucket rotates about it and for releasing the back plate when the bucket has been fully retracted.

It is an object of the invention to provide a self-cleaning bucket having a material retaining and cleaning back plate pivotally mounted in the bucket with latch mechanism for retaining it in one position while the bucket is rotated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcleaning backhoe bucket which is simple, inexpensive, and compact, and with latching mechanism which is externally of the work area and without any exposed springs for returning the back plate to its locking and material retaining position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of a backhoe attached to a tractor and having the self-cleaning bucket of the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2, a front elevation of the boom and attached bucket, with actuating means for the latter;

FIG. 3, a view on the line 33 of FIG. 2 with parts in elevation;

FIG. 4; a large fragmentary detail section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, an enlarged fragmentary detail section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, sectional views of the bucket in various operating positions relative to the back plate.

3,495,728 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to the drawings, a backhoe 10 is adapted to be attached to the rear of tractor 11, such backhoe including an operators seat or station 12 with controls 13, stabilizer pads 14 mounted on adjustable legs 15. The backhoe includes a boom of pivotable arms 16 and 17, subject to the operation of hydraulic cylinders 18 and 19, and a bucket 20 adapted to be controlled by a hydraulic cylinder 21. The hydraulic cylinders may be supplied with fluid from any desired source, such as the power takeoff of a tractor 11 subject to the controls 13.

Bucket 20 is formed of a uniformly curved central or bottom wall 22 with right angular spaced generally parallel side walls 23 between which are located spacer sleeves 24, two of which are fixed to the side walls 23 and within which spacer sleeves is received a pivot pin 25 equidistantly spaced from all points of the curved wall 22. A back or discharge plate 26 having raised ribs 27 is provided pivoted about the pin 25 between the spacers 24 so that the bucket can be freely rotated relative to the plate 26. The plate 26 is of a length and width to conform to the space between the side walls 23 and curved bottom of the bucket so that when the bucket is emptied the plate will fit close to the bottom and side walls and completely discharge the contents of the bucket as it is revolved about the plate. The exposed digging edge of the bucket may be provided with a reinforcing tip 28 of material of harder 'or greater wear resistance than the material of the bucket itself.

In order to move the bucket 20, the piston 21 which projects from the cylinder 21 is connected to a pin 29 extending between and fastened to the sides 23 of the bucket 20. Spacers 30 (FIG. 2) maintain the header connection 31 centrally between the side walls 23 of the bucket 20 and at the same time reinforce the pivot pin 29. Thus the rotation of the bucket is under the influence and control of the cylinder 21.

In order to secure the plate 26 in fixed relation while permitting the bucket to move relative thereto, latching means 34 is provided which includes an extension 32 of the supporting ribs 27 on the plate 26, such extension 32 having a notched-out portion or recess 33 receiving a transverse bar 35 of a size to fit within the notched-out portion of recess 33 having an upstanding edge or shoulder 36 which is engaged by the leading or outer edge of the bar 35.

The bar 35 is integral with or fixed to a pair of spaced support blocks 37 having openings 38 for a pivot pin 39 mounted in spaced lugs 40 on the top surface of the arm 17. The location of the pivot pin 39 and the bar 35 relative to the notched out portion 33 is of a character to maintain the bar 35 in its operative relation to the edge 36 to perform the latching operation and maintain the discharge plate in a fixed relation to the bucket.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and.4, the parts are arranged and latched in a manner that the bucket has maximum receiving capacity. In this position the element 31 has spaced lugs or projections 41 and a rib 42 with reinforcing gussets 43 therebetween which limits the forward rotation of the bucket in relation to the back plate 26. When the element 41 enters the notch 44 it tends to produce a slight rotation of the back plate 26 about the pivot 25 causing the bar 35 of the latch member 34 to enter the notched-out portion 33 thus locking the parts in definite relation.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, upon the retraction of the piston 21 into the cylinder 21, the bucket 20 will be rotated about its pivot 25 and the element 31 will be rotated about its pivot 29 until the parts are in the position illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 where the depending lugs 41 engage the upper extended fiat surfaces 45 of the supporting blocks 37 causing such supporting blocks to be rotated about the shaft 39 unlatching the latching mechanism or, in other words, separating the bar 35 from the notched-out portion 33 in the upright portion 27. At the same time, shock between the member 37 and the element 32 will be absorbed by an adjustable bolt 46 under the influence of a spring 47 contained within a recess 48 of a bolt 49 in the support blocks 37. A stop 50 fixed to the arm 17 will be engaged by the header 31 to prevent such header from dropping below the pivot 25 thus insuring the fact that it can always be moved in the opposite direction.

In the operation of the device, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the retaining and discharging plate 26 is in the rear part of the bucket so that the bucket has maximum capacity. In this position the bar 35 is seated in the cutout portion or recess 33 and the header connection 31 has its projection 41 located in the clearance notch 44 in the reinforcing ribs 27 of the retaining and discharging plate 26. The forward motion of the piston 21 is stopped upon reaching the end .of its stroke, the scooping or filling operation of the bucket having been completed, and the retaining and discharging plate 26 being latched within the rearmost position within the trailing end of the scoop.

When the bucket is closed\completely extensions 32 of supporting ribs engage the spring loaded bolt 46 in latch assembly 37 forcing it into a latched position in discharge plate 26. Upon reversing the action of the piston rod to cause the discharge of the contents of the bucket, the retaining and discharging plate 26 will remain in its locked position while the bucket is rotated about the retaining and discharging plate 26 until the depending lug 41 on the header 31 is withdrawn from the recesses 44 and such projection 41 in its rearward movement will engage the fiat surfaces 45 of the supporting blocks 37 causing the latching mechanisms to be separated from the notched-out portion 33 in the upright portion 27, thus releasing the retaining and discharging plate from its fixed position. Continued rearward rotation .of the scoop 20 about its pivot 25 after the parts have been unlocked is prevented by means of a stop 50 which is engaged by the header connection 31. Upon the release of the latching means the retaining and discharge plate will be moved again to the rear of the bucket as the bucket is being filled. As the plate 26 approaches its rearmost position in the scoop or bucket it will cause the latching means to rotate about the pivot 39 and the adjustable bolt 46 under the influence of the spring 47 to engage the extension 32 of the supporting ribs 27 of the plate 26. This causes the latch 35- again to drop into place in the cut-out portion 33 latching the parts in fixed relation.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-cleaning bucket for use with the boom of a backhoe comprising an arcuate bottom wall connected to spaced generally parallel side walls, a first pivot means pivotally mounting said side walls on one end of said backhoe boom, a pair of spaced generally parallel ribs swingably mounted about said first pivot means, a discharge plate carried by said ribs on one side of said first pivot means, each of said ribs having an upwardly disposed extension at the end remote from said discharge plate and on the opposite side of said first pivot means, the upper surface of each of said ribs having a recess providing a shoulder and disposed between said extension and said discharge plate, a second pivot means mounted on said side walls in spaced relation to said first pivot means, a header connection pivotally carried by said second pivot means, fluid cylinder means fixed at one end to said header connection and connected at the opposite end to said boom, latching means swingably mounted on said boom, said latching means including at least one support block means having an outwardly extending bar fixed thereto, and said bar being located in a position to be received within the recess in said ribs, whereby movement of said fluid cylinder means in one direction swings said side and bottom walls about said first pivot means while said discharge plate is free to move until said header connection engages said ribs and further movement of said fiuid means in the same direction moves said discharge plate downwardly and said extension upwardly so that said extension engages said latching means and forces said bar into the recess of said ribs and thereafter movement of said fluid cylinder means in the opposite direction swings said side and bottom walls in the opposite direction and locks said discharge plate against movement until said header connection engages said latching means and moves said bar out of engagement with said recess.

2. The structure of claim 1 including stop means limiting movement of said header connection in the opposite direction.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,338,232 8/1963 France.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 214510, 767 

